Stolen property in summer Ionia County larcenies found, returned

The Ionia County Sheriff's Office has recovered and returned a number of items allegedly stolen by three individuals in a surge of daytime home invasions in the late summer in northern Ionia County townships.

The Ionia County Sheriff's Office has recovered and returned a number of items allegedly stolen by three individuals in a surge of daytime home invasions in the late summer in northern Ionia County townships.

Josh Doyle Earl, 30, of Hubbardston was arrested Sept. 14 and charged with one count of stolen property – receiving and concealing in Ionia County 64-A District Court.

Katherine Lelia Zieger, 29, and Christopher James Seif, 33, both of Belding, were arrested Sept. 19. They were charged with one count of felony home invasion, two counts of attempted home invasion, and one count of larceny from a building, also in District Court.

The Ionia County Sheriff's Office executed several search warrants and located stolen trailers, a quad and minibike, allegedly taken by Earl, which have been returned, said Ionia County Undersheriff Charlie Noll. Also recovered were tools, beef taken from a farm on Van Vleck Road and other miscellaneous property – some of which the sheriff's office is still working to determine ownership.

Noll said his department's investigation indicates that Zieger's and Seif's alleged thefts focused more on money and jewelry, and that they had started their larcenies shortly before their arrests.

The crimes were solved with help from residents, including cell phone photographs and tips, Noll said.